Variety (May 1946)

Wednesday, May 15, 1946 LEGITIMATE 67 Dimout Aids Chi Legits; Tark' Paces Pack With 45G; State 22G 9 Roots' Out Chicago, May 14. Legits, ppen every night (with the rxception- of "Late George Apley/' which couldn't get the generators going.'benefited by the fact that film houses were closed by the dimout. Takes in every instance were up over the previous week. "Apley" re- opened Friday (10) for another week, moving out Saturday- (18) to make way for "Merry Wives of Windsor," which comes in for three weeks starting Monday (2D). "Deep Are the Roots," which folded Saturday (11),. scooted up to $12,000 when closing was announced. Still leading the parade is "Up in Central Park," with smash $45,000 •Slate of the Union," hypoed by the Pulitzer award, hit $21,600. "Windy Hill." with $15,000, folds May 25, to be replaced by "Antigone"-"Candida" May 27. Advances for "Windy City/' which relights the Great Northern Thurs- day (16), are encouraging but not sensational, considering it's a musical about Chicago. Selwyn remains dark a week, with Ruth Chatterton's "Sec- ond Best Bed" relighting Monday (20). in opposition to T 'Merry Wives." "LAura" follows Katharine Cornell's two weeks of repertory. into the Harris June 10, "and "Harvey" is inked for'Aug. 6. Estimates for Last Week "Anna Lucasta," Civic (33d week) (900; $3.00). Upped to $13,300. "Deep. Are the Roots," Selwyn (7th week) (1,000: $3.60). Picked up when Saturday (11) closing was an- nounced; $12,000. "Late George Apley," Erlanger rillhweek) (1,400; $3.80). Closed all week because of dimout' but nelit Friday ilO), getting okay $7,C00 for three performances. "State of the Union," Blackstone (3d week) (1,360; $4.20). Doing very .well; over $21,500. Pulitzer Prize an- nouncement helped. "Up in Central Park," Shubert (4th week) (2,163: $4.80). Smash $45,200. "Windy Hill," Harris (10th week) (1,246: $3.60). OK $15,000. Folds May 25. •' Sale of Audhorium For 400G Cues Added Legiter for Chi Loop Chicago, May 14. Verbal agreement for sale of the lamed Auditorium theatre ■ and ho- tel, which have been closed since June 30, '41, was made last week between the Goodridge estate, own- " eis, and. Abraham Teitelbaum, Chi lawyer who now owns the property in which the Studebaker and World .theatres are located. Plans are to reopen the theatre, which has the largest capacity for a legit house in Chi (3,700 as opposed to "the Opera House's 3,600), next fall. . Reported price is $400,000, and ne- gotiations are now going forward between Teitelbaum and' the state's attorney's office for settlement of $1,400,000 in back taxes and penal- lies on the property, which it's re- liably reported to Variety will be ■cancelled-out through payment of approximately $500,000 by Teitel- baum. "Auditorium Block," which was called the "wonder building of the age" when dedicated by Pres. Ben- jamin Harrison back in 1889, with Adelina Patti the star attraction at. ,its debut, consists of the theatre and a 10-story, office building, which will be operated personally by Teitelbaum, and a 330-room hotel, which will be leased to as yet un- disclosed hotel operators: Final curtain call for the theatre came in 1941, when John Goodridge, prcz of the Auditorium Building Corp., announced inability of the group to meet the rising burden of unpaid taxes, and it was then taken over by Mayor Edward J. Kelly as a servicemen's center. Cue to the hefty remodeling job in store for the. house is the huge bowling alley that Mayor Kelly in- stalled in the orchestra, removing 300 seats for that purpose. It's fig- ured Teitelbaum will have to shell put close to $1,000,000 for renovation and remodeling of the badly run- down property. 'Husband' on LA. Boards Los Angeles, May 14. Harvey Thirkell will open his legit production "I Give You My Hus- band," .Tune 10 at the Bclasco the- atre here. George Ctuiningham will function as general manager and Bob' Du Roy as director, . 'World' Builds to SRO In N. Haven With 24G New Haven, May 14. After getting off to a hectic start, "Around the World" came through to SRO biz at tag end of Shubert five- day run (7-11) last week. Show, still in.formative stage, began to jell after midweek and finished optimistically. At $4.80 top (tax incl.) on seven per- formances, an approximate gross of $24,000 was on the sunny side of the ledger. Current week is split with'Ballet Russe for Tues.-Wed. (14-15) and breakin of "Cyrano de Bergerac" (Jose Ferrer) revival for Fri.-Sat. (17-18). Wives' Gets Husky 52G For Two-Week D.C. Stand Washington, May 14. Theatre Guild's "Merry Wives of Windsor" bowed out of National with husky $52,000 chalked up for two- week stand. Second week, despite brownout jitters, matched near sell- but $26,000 of first stanza. Katharine Cornell's doubleheader "Antigone" and "Candida," orig- inally skedded for one week, current, has had second week added. Mi- riam' Hopkins in "Laura" bows in May 27. Metop 3-Night St Loo Stand Hits 102G Gross St. Louis, May 14. Metropolitan Opera Co., making its Hist visit here in 30 years, was assured of $102,000 gross for the three-night engagement that opened last'night '(Mon.) "at Municipal Aud. with the presentation of "Tann- haeuser.'' This was " followed by "Carmen" and VRigoletto" on suc- ceeding nights. Mail order biz resulted in the last two operas being sold out two weeks in advance of the troupe's arrival. The St. Louis symph society Is spon- soring the local engagement. Evans' 26G, Balto Baltimore, May 14. Maurice E\yms, in his GI "Hamlet," mopped up grandly at Ford's last week, whacking out a very solid $26,000 and plenty or favorable news- paper reaction. Town : is currently dark, with "Laura" set to till what looks like the final week of a somewhat spotty but highly profitable season, May 20. Current Road Shows (Period Couerjnp May -13-25) "Anna Lucasta"—Civ ic, Chi (13- 25). "Antigone" - "Candida" — N a t'l, Wash. (13-25). "Around Hie World" — Shubert, Phila. (14-25). "Blackouts of 1946"—El Capitan, Hollywood (13-25). Blackstone—Colonial, Bost. (13-18). "Bloomer Girl" — Shubert, Bost. (13-25). "Cyrano de Bergerac" — Shubert, New Haven (17-18); Colonial, Bost. (20-25). "Dark of the Moon" — Opera House, Bost (13-25). "Goose for a Gander"—Davidson, Milw. (13-16); Parkway, Madison (17- 18); Erlanger; Buff. (20-22); Strand, Elmira (23); Erie, Schenectady (24- 25). "Hamlet" — Nixon. Pitts! (13-18); Hartman. Columbus (20-22); English, Indianapolis (23-25). "Harvey"—Aud.. Oakland (13); Mayfair. Portland (15-21); Met., Seattle (22-25). "Lafflng Room Only" — Forrest, Phila. (13 : 25). "Late George Apley" — Erlanger, Chi (13-18). "Laura" — Wilbur, Bost. (13-18): Ford's, Balto. (20-25). Markova-Dolin Co. — Cass, Det. (20-25). "Merry Wives of Windsor"—Cass, Detroit (13-18); Erlanger, Chi (20- 25). . "Oklahoma!"—Billmorc, L. A. (13- 25). "Ring Tw ice Tonight"—Aud., Long Beach (16): Aud.. Fresno (18); And:, Oakland (20); Aud... Sacramento (21- 22); Aud.. San Jose (23); Temple, Tacoma (25). "School for Brides" — Locust St., Phila. (13-25). "Second'Best Bed" —Royal Alex., Toronto (13-18); Selwyn, Chi. (20- 25). "State of the Union"—Blackstone, Chi. (13-25). "The Dancer"—Walnut, Phila. (20- 25). "Up In Central Park"— Shubert, Chi. (13-25). "Voice of the Turtle" — Geary, Frisco (13-25).' "Voice of the Turtle" (2d Co.)— Plymouth. Bbsl. (17-25). "Windy City"—Gt. Northern, Chi. (17-25). "Windy HIM"—Harris, Chi. (13- 25). .'. . STOCK "Androclcs and the. Lion"—Jersey Morristown, N. J. 113-20). .. . I "Bitter Sweet"—Paper Mill Play- 1 house, Millburn, N. J. (13-20). . 30G, Give Hub Lift Boston, May 14. "Bloomer Girl" snapped the rialto back into the big money this week with a sensational advance and enough biz in view. ,to keep it here long beyond its announced visit. Also giving the town a lift in the way of grosser, arter a couple bad- weeks which saw the Shubert hit its lowest grosses in many years, was arrival of Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo, doing near-sellout biz at the Opera House. "Laura" meantime clicking fine at the Wilbur and "Voice of the Turtle"" still being heard at the Plymouth. Blackstone still profitable at Colonial. Opening tonight (14) at the Opera House is return engagement of "Dark of the Moon." On 20th "Second Best Bed" oomes to Wilbur, and same night "Cyrano" goes at the Colonial. This seems to wind up the main body of the season, though , others are rumored for early summer produc- tion. Estimates for Last Week Ballet Rnsse de Monie Carlo, Opera House (3,500; $4.20). Eight perform- ances (including "Frankic and John- ny," which got by the censors), for a very sock estimated draw of $40,000. Tour here under auspices Aaron Richmond, concert impresario. "Dark of the Moon" begins tonight (14). Blackstone, Colonial (1,500; $2.40). Fourth week of magic show okay $10,000, estimated. Final week cur- rent with show closing for summer here. "Bloomer Girl,'! Shubcrt (1,590; $4.20). Vast advance sale insures top- level grosses for run, with first week —seven performances—going to $30,r 000, great. "Laura," Wilbur (1.300; $3.G0). Opened Mon. (6) and well-liked which, plus word-of-mouth and show's rep, led to excellent esti- mated $18,000. Firial week current. "Voice of the Turtle," Plymouth (1,300; $3). Amazing $15,000 esti- mated on 21st week. B way Easing Off; Old Vic Puts Bard In Sock Class With Prodigious ffl/fi; 'Avenue' Mild; 'Girls/ 'Apple,' Pass Out There was some offishness on Broadway last week and further de- clines, are expected,, as the .season approaches summer; ' with curtail- ment of train service a probable fac- tor, while another brownout also due to the coal strike is cause of man- agerial disfavor.. Event of the week will be the delayed debut of "Annie Get Your Gun," Phila, audiences rav- ing over the. musical' as did Boston's. Old Vic from London drew abnor- mal business, what with high ticket prices, top being a record for Shake- speare. The first week's gross easily topped all takes. "On Whitman Ave- nue," latest mixed-cast drama, has a questionable chance. Estimates for Last Week " Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama). CD. (Comedy-Drama), R. (Reuue), M (Musical), O (Operetta). ■ "Anna Lucasta," Mansfield (89th week) (Drl,001: $3.60). Business is satisfactory with fair profits being earned; dipped somewhat last week; $13,500 estimated. "Annie Get Your Gun," Imperial (M-1,427; $6.60.) Rodgers And Ham- nierstein musical with Irving Berlin score bows in Thursday (16): delayed three weeks:' should be new gross leader. "Apple of His Eye," Biltmorc (CD- 920; $4.20). Final and 16th week; did moderately well with $10,000 claimed last week; "The .Da'hcer" dated for early June. "Are Ton With It?" Shubert (27th week) (1,382; $4.80). Summer hold- over dependent oh business: comr. pany took a cut in pay; picked up to $23,500. "Billion Dollar Baby," Alvin (21st week) (M-1,331; $6). lias been oper- ating profitably right along and en- gagement is indefinite; over $30,000 claimed. ' "Born Yesterday," Lyceum (15th. week) (C-993; $4.80). Real sock comedy hit sells out all limes and should be running a year from now; 421,000. "Call Me Mister," National (4th week) (R-1,142; $4.80). Top on Fri- day and Saturday is $6; that scale will apply nightly soon and takings will then top $30,000; last week around. $27,000 estimated. "Carousel," Majestic (5flth week) (M-1,667; \$6). Demand for tickets., indicates popularity, of this musical aimed into next season; dipped to $40,500. "Dear Ruth," Miller (74th week) (C-940; $4:20). Slightly bettor last week when the count was quoted around $11,000; makes money at that level. "Deep Are the Roots," Fulton (32d week) (D-968: $4.20). Not much change in pace here, with takings estimated over $11,000; still profit- able. "Dream Girl," Coronet (22d week) (CD-1,037; $4.80). Eased off further last week when the gross approxi- mated $19,000; still excellent for straight play. "Follow the Girls" Broadhurst (M-1,160; $4.80). Final and 110th week; has Made great showing and should fare well on tour; around $20,000. "Three to Make Ready" will mpvc here. "Harvey." 48th Street (80th week) (C-925; $4.20). No wavering in pace for. smash comedy which shows a weekly statement close to $10,300 every week. "I Remember Mama," Music Box (93d week) (CD-979; $4.20). Eased to around $14,500 last week and closing date expected to be set soon. "Life With Father," Bijou (336th week) (C-614; $3.60). Bit off from previous week but operated to some profit last week at $8,000. "Lute Song," Plymouth (15lh week) (D-1,063: $6). Picked up when most others' went off and tak- ings approximated $16,000, but final weeks announced. "O Mistress Mine," Empire (15th week) (CD-1.082; $4.80). Figures to play to standee business until vaca- tion, layoff; takings are more than $24,000. "Oklahoma!" St. James (163d week) (M-J.509: $4.80). Musical wonder to virtual capacity despite long run which is still indefinite; takings over $29,500.. "On Whitman Avenue." Cort (1st week) (D-L064; $3.60). Opened last midweek. Couple of favorable no- tices, others being on the down side but under $6,000 first five times. "Song of Norway," Broadway (90th week) (0-1,900; $4.80). May try an other summer 'although a switch to Chicago possible; rated around $28,000. "State of the Union," Hudson (26th week) (CD-1.057; $4.80). Pulitzer prize-winner can't' gross more but award should enhance picture's worth; approaches $25,000 weekly. "St. Louis Woman," Beck (6th . "Ice ParadeV. Sonja Heme and Ml *»!£» l a )'}?™?. a tu. i vr ur;..!,- last week but doing great business Arthur M. Wirtz. ' so far- $30000 ."The Dancer" George Abbott. > |: « Sw i„- Song," Booth (CD-712: "Cyrano de. Bergerac" (revival) ■ $4 20). Presented by John Clcin; Josd Ferrer I rewritten from "Crescendo'' by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur; opens Wednesday (15). "The Glass Menagerie," Playhouse . (58th week) (CD-865; $4.20). Some- what better last week when takings were quoted around $17,000. "The Magnificent Yankee," Royale (18th week) (CD-1,025; $4.80). Hon- ored by drama organizations; has cased off from winter pace; esti- mated over $14,500." "The Voice of the TUrlle," Moi o.sco (110th week) (C-939; $3.60). Went off somewhat last week when the count was around $13,000 but will play into and perhaps through, sum- mer. "This, Too. Shall Pass," Bclasco (2d week) (CD-1,077; $4.20). . Clos- ing notice up and Will close Satur- day; $3,000 or less. "Three to . Make Beadv," Adelphi UOlh weokKR-1,434; $4.80). Around $28,500, but excellent for intimate, revue' which moves to Broadhurst Monday (20); "Around , he World" due here end of month. OLD VIC "Uncle Vanya" and "Henry IVi" Century (1st week) ;< 1,870; $6)/ First week, with two $12 first nights and extra matinee, takings were quoted around $52,400: highest for "Henry"; "Vanya" opened Mon- day (13). REVIVALS "Show Boat," Ziegfeld (18th week) (M-1,628; $6). Commands great business so far; claimed to have ap- proximated $47,000 again. "The Red Mill," 46th St. (29th week) (M-1,319; $4.80). Somewhat Qff like some other musicals but with gross around $30,500 very good profit earned. "Pygmalion," Barrymore (19th week) (C-1,064; $4.80). . Will finale at end of month after making great showing for Shaw;.- again -over $24,500. OKLAHOMA' 32GINLA.; 'VAGABOND KING' 4(HG Los Angeles, May 14. Mighty grosses were chalked up in town this week, despite the street car strike. ■ "Oklahoma!" reached a walloping $32,000 at the Biltmorc for the first frame and is slated for a repeater. Initial week of "The Vagabond King" at the Philharmonic was a hefty $40,500, although man- agement regretted the tram strike hurting gallery take by approxi- mately $2,000. Both shows at. the Mayan and the Bclasco folded but Musart carried on with "Two in a Bed" to snare $2,900. Ken Murray's "Blackouts of 1946" was minus SRO at matinees but still did elegant $17,000 for the 203rd week. Malina's 'Roberta' In Boff 33G Frisco Take San Francisco, May 14. The Civic Light Opera, which opened its 7th season at the Curran with Jerome Kern's "Roberta," star- ring Luba Maliha, chalked up a first week capacity gross of $33,000. All reviews were Malina raves, with sets and costuming coming in for praise, although opening nighlers found direction slow and voices not too good. Van Drutcn's "Voice of the Tur- tle" slipped to $18,000 in its 811) week at the Geary. HICKMAN'S BRITISH 'MILL' Charles Hickman', who staged the British edition of "Song of Norway," arrives in U. S. this week to gander "The Red Mill" for English produc- tion. Show will be done by Max Drey- fus and Emile Littler. Shows in Rehearsal 'Annie V 47%G Sets Philly Record Philadelphia, May 14. The amazing biz of "Annie Get Your Gun" in its second and last week at the Shubert, ending Satur- day night, was a high spot of all lo- cal conversation.- The highly-touted ■.. musical, booked in here suddenly, climbed to an astounding $47,600 in its getaway session after a red-hot $39,000 in its first week (7 perform- ances). Second week figure, made possible by $6 (odd) top Friday and Saturday nights, was highest legit figure here in many seasons. Olscn and Johnson's "Lafflng Room Only," which hadn't felt the Com-. petish of "Annie" as much as ex- pected during latter's first week, really felt the strain last week. Mu- sical couldn't quite reach $22,000. It should revive this week, .but cpm- petish will come from new Orson Welles musical, "Around the World," which opens tonight (14th) at the Shubcrt for what is now set as a two weeks' stay instead of originally- planned five days. Shuberts said to be looking around in Atlantic City for a house for the Olson-Johnson how. As elsewhere, local crix panned . School for Brides" all alon« the line, but the farce, using come-on ads and publicity, demonstrated a neat building power, and ended up with a satisfactory $11,000. Manage- ment has decided to hold it at the Locust for a third week: in fact, there's even talk of a fourth, with competish cut down by one dark house this week. The (older is the Walnut, which called it an engagement after one week of "Lambs Will Gamble," which staggered through to a pitiful $2,000. House is dark this week, hut reopens next Tuesday with "The Dancer," new George Abbott production. 'Polonaise' Battles Rain And R.R.S for 17 Vi G, St. L i St. Louis, May 14. With the opening performance cancelled because of transportation difficulties, "Polonaise," only musi- cal to be presented here at the Ameri- can theatre during the current sea- son, battled against a week of almost continuous rain and unseasonable cold weather to wind up a one-week stand Sat. (11) with a creditable showing. The 1,700-seat house was scaled to $4.27 and eight performances grossed an estimated. $17,500. 'MOON' DAEK 14G, TORONTO Toronto, May 14. • "Dark of the Moon" did an unsatis- i factory $14,100 at the Roval Alex- andra here, with 1.525-sealer scaled at $3 top. Play opened li«ht, but ! bujll to a rush finish at end. of week.